Her Choice
by Aerilon452
Summary: Belle has to choose between her father and Rumplestiltskin. COMPLETE ONE SHOT. A/N: I wrote this after seeing pics on Friday for 2x04.


Summary: Belle has to choose between her father and the man she loves.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of OUAT

Pairing: Belle and Rumplestiltskin

Rating: K

A/N I wrote this on Friday 10/19 and is better if you read it while listening to the song WHAT HURTS THE MOST by Rascal Flats.

**A CHOICE:**

Belle stood in the center of town facing two men; her father and Rumpelstiltskin. She hadn't seen her father on the day she left castle to go with Rumpelstiltskin ad part of their deal to save her village. It had worked and Belle had gotten more than she had bargained for; she had found true love. To her left Rumplestiltskin stood watching her, his eyes never wavering. Belle looked at him seeing the anguish in his lovely brown eyes. Silently he was pleading with her not to leave him again. Belle didn't want to but she might have to live apart from him for a while. It was naive of her to think that he would miraculously change over night. Maybe time apart is what they needed. That would be best for them to survive together but she couldn't get her feet to work, to move to her father's side.

"Belle?" Maurice questioned. He could see the indecision on his daughters face. "You can come home with me where you belong." He offered her his hand in hopes that he could tempt her to take it.

Belle felt tears spring to her eyes as she continued to stare at Rumplestitlskin. She couldn't live without him, but she couldn't live with him either. There was just too much damage to his heart that he would have to mend before they could be together. "Don't make this hard for me." She said to him biting her bottom lip to try and keep from crying. If she cried, then she would go to him, and have him hold her. She had to be strong; to make the best choice for both of them. Time apart was what they needed. Even though she knew that was what they needed the choice was killing her inside.

Rumpelstiltskin stayed where he was. So many people were watching them and he didn't care. All he cared about was Belle and he had hurt her once again. Inside he was still that fragile man who never truly loved anyone until his darling Belle had come into his life. This was the moment he had to let her go. She had to be with her father. It was killing him but he had to. "Belle, go with you father." He was letting her go. He had to. Shakily, Rumpelstiltskin drew in a breath trying to remain calm when inside he was breaking.

Tears fell, but not out of sorrow. He was letting her go, knowing that it was best. Still Belle couldn't move. "Rumplestiltskin…" He shook his head; his eyes pleading with her to be silent. This was killing him. She was hurting him. His use of magic, his lust for it was coming between them and all because she couldn't get past it. She had known who and what he was when she met him and she hadn't had a problem with his magic until now.

"Belle come on, come home with me." Maurice tried to coax his daughter to him again. It was all he could do not to take her hand and drag her home. "You don't need to be with him."

Belle looked at her father, shocked to hear him. She had almost forgotten that he was there. His eyes conveyed anger at Rumpelstiltskin and at her for wanting to be with him. She knew her father loved her, but how much. Could he let her go like Rumpelstiltskin was? She looked back at her love to see he had his eyes closed, his bottom lip was trembling. Belle would have to be the strong one. Taking her first step she moved in the direction of her father. It was a step that broke her heart.

Rumpelstiltskin heard her walking away from him. He couldn't watch her leave, not again, not for the last time. Inside he was nothing more than a shattered mirror trying to hold it together with tape and glue. Now, there was nothing more that he could want from this world. Tomorrow he would walk to the edge of town, to the barrier and step over it. That would be the only way to get rid of his pain. The pain of losing his son he had endured for 300 years but losing Belle today was not something he could live with. The memories alone would assure his descent into madness with no hope of coming out of it.

Belle wanted to crumble to the pavement and cry for the pain she was feeling. She was leaving the only man she ever loved and all because she couldn't get past the fact he used magic. Rumpelstiltskin had used magic when she had met him and she hadn't had a problem with it until she had met Regina. She stopped and turned back to look at him. Tears streamed down his face as he stood as still as a statue. Belle was making the wrong choice just like before when she had left. She hadn't fought for what she wanted. Not again. A hand clamped down on her arm keeping her from walking back to Rumpelstiltskin. She looked up into the angry eyes of her father.

"You don't need him." Maurice was barely keeping his anger in check. Rumpelstiltskin had saved his village but had taken his daughter. Now he was going to take her from him again. There was no way he was going to let that happen again. "He's not even a man."

Belle recoiled at his words, "You had me kidnapped." She was getting angry now. It was better than the pain she was feeling. "You lost the right be concerned for me as a father." She jerked her arm from his hold and let him see how disappointed she was in him. Her father had the good sense to look ashamed. "I made the wrong choice 28 years ago when I left him. Not again." Turning her back on her father Belle went to Rumpelstiltskin. He still had his eyes shut. Resting her hand over his heart Belle said, "I choose you."

Rumpelstiltskin felt her in front f him, but he couldn't bear to open his eyes until she touched him. Her words brought life back into his soul. "I'm sorry. I'll tell you everything," He managed to say. Sorrow still choked his voice as he stood staring into her eyes. Relief washed through him as he leaned his forehead to hers. Belle's arms draped over his shoulders and her lips found his. She was kissing him. That was enough to shock him into stillness. Belle was kissing him in town, in front of everyone, in front of her father. It brought him to life even more. His arm wrapped around her waist as he took charge of the kiss stealing the very breath from her lungs. Soon enough they broke the kiss, "I love you and I'll do…"

Belle covered his mouth with her hand, "No, I love you as you are. I always have." She smiled and then hugged hi so tight. "This was my right choice." Joy flooded through her again. Her life was heading in the right direction again. Belle always knew the man she would fall in love with would be more than a challenge and their love would be almost impossible. It was her fate to fall in love with Rumpelstiltskin and she couldn't be happier. She had once said love was layered and now she was proving that statement true just by being here with him. People could give her a whole parchment full of reasons why she shouldn't be in love with Rumpelstiltskin, but it didn't matter. Her heart was in charge. "I'm sorry for trying to change you."

Rumpelstiltskin smiled and then realized they were still in the middle of town with people watching them, "People are staring at us aren't they?" he asked. Belle wrinkled her nose and nodded with a smile. "Yeah…" He looked at them and saw Charming smiling an approving smile. The man would be insufferable now. Rumpelstiltskin resisted the urge to groan at Charming. Instead he muttered, "We should go home." Belle's smiled widened as she dropped her arms so she could take his free hand. It didn't matter that people were watching them. It didn't matter that Belle's father was a few feet from them. All that mattered to Rumpelstiltskin was that he had Belle with him.


End file.
